Link switch



y 12, 1931- c. M. LEFK'OWITZ 1,304,425

LINK SWITCH Filed Aug. 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY y 1931. C. M.LEFKOWITZ 1,304,425

LINK SWITCH I Filed Aug. 9, 1928 2'Sh eetsSheet 2 6Wo i w I 64/520 7ATTORNEY so 2 One object of thepresent invention is to section of theswitch casing.

. mechanisms now in general use.

Patented May 12, 1931 f i J p UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE I I i CHARLESM. LEEKOWITZ, on NEW vonx, 'VY.

. V LINK swi'rcn A Application filed August S, 1928. Serial No. 298,429.

My invention relates to a novel link 1 In the drawings forming part ofthis apswitch and it belongs to that class of plication, v switches-which are adapted to be hung in Figure 1 is an elevation showing myconnection with anoverhead lamp or chanswitch attached to a chain suchas may be 1.5 delier. A type of suspended electric switch used forsupporting an overhead lamp or has been proposed which can be connectedchandelier. I between the links of the chain which sup- Figure 2 is aside elevation thereof, ports an overhead electric lamp or chande-Figure-3 is a sectional: view taken on the lier and my invention belongsto that type line 3+3 of Figure 1,

10 of switch. One of the principal advantages Figure A is a sectionalview taken on the of-switches of this kind is that the switch line 4ltofFigure 2, v is separated from the other parts of the elec- Figure '5 isa sectional vievv't'aken on the trio apparatus, so that it may beconvenientline 55 of Figure 1, 1 ly operated and sothat the switch maybe F igure-G is' a sectional view taken on the 15 readily removed andreplaced without disasline 6'6 ofFigure 1, V f

sembling any part of the lighting apparatus Figure 7 is a perspectiveview ofa porand without disarranging the electric circuit rt-ion of oneof the casing members of the. 7 even though vthe person making the chainswitch, is not versed in such matters Figure 8 is a perspective view ofanother provide a link switch having a shell, casing I have shown anordinary or well known or socket adapted to be supported in sustype ofswitch mechanism 1 adapted to be pended position, as abovedescribed,;and to contained within my improved casing but receiveand'hold standard forms of switch the mechanism of the switchforms-nopart 4 of the present, invention and any. switch Another object is toprovide a link switch mechanism may be used inconnection with which willbe regularly balanced,;so that my improved devices The present 7 link itwill hang in. a straight position "and not switch havingan improvedsocket, shell, or detract from the appearance of the appacasing, isadapted to receive and hold the 30 .ratus to which it is applied; andwhich will different types of switch mechanisms now in enclose theswitch mechanism completely standard use. It is suflic'ient to point outwithin a casing and present a pleasing and that a pliable chain orpulling member 2 is artistic appearance. o associated with the switchmechanism and it Another object is to provide a linkswitch is adapted.to operate ther switch mechanism 7 35 which may be readily assembledand disasfor opening and closing the circuit. It will 8 sembled withoutthe use of tools. be understood that this operating or pliable Anotherobject of the invention is to promember may take difierent formsaccordvide a device of the kind described which, ing to" the type ofswitch mechanisms em- .though stamped from thin sheet metal, willployed. I

notslip through the meeting ends of the 'The type of socket or casing.illustrated 0 links of the chain to which'jit is attached. consists ofthe two shell members 3' and 4. Another object is to provide a linkswitch The shell member 3 has a curved wall 5 havwhich may beinexpensively stamped from ing an aperture. 6 near the top' which' issheet metal ata very reasonable c'ost.- W lined-with an insulatingsleeve 7 thisroperi- 4 Another, object is to provide a suspended ingbeing. adapted :to permit the passage socket made of separableparts'which will through the shell of oneof the wires .8 permit accessto be had to the switch 'mechawhich is to be connected with a portion ofnism for removal or repair without detachthe switch mechanism enclosedwithin the ing the casing entirely from the supporting socket or casing.,At' the bottom this shell 50 chain. v r member 3 is also providedwithanopening 9 which is lined with an insulating sleeve 10 and throughthe latter the wire 11 is adapted to be passed for making electricalconnection with another terminal of the switch mechanism. The shellmember 3 is provided with a cylindrical portion 12 extending from oneface of the curved portion 5. From the top of this cylindrical portionthere projects a loop or bracket 13 which is preferably stamped integralwith the cylindrical portion 12 although it may be made separately andattached thereto.

This member extends upwardly from the cylindrical portion 12 in the formof a loop or yoke 14 which is adapted to receive through the opening 15the ends of the chain link 16 on which the device is to be supported.

' The member 13 consists of a vertical wall 17 having a laterallyextending flange 18 to make the same more rigid, and there is aninwardly turned flange 19 around the edge of the opening 15 which notonly tends to stiffen the member 13 but it also presents a wider bearingsurface to rest in the loop of the chain link 16 so that if the ends ofthe chain link are not soldered together a slight separation of theseends will not permit' the member 13 to pass between them, owing to thelateral width of the flange 19. Adjacent the lower edge of the member 13I have provided an upwardly extending projection 20 on opposite sides ofwhich are recesses '21 and the purpose of this projection will beapparent in the subsequent description.

I have shown another supporting member 13 projecting from thecylindrical wall 12 at the opposite side of the shell member 3 and lyingin the same vertical plane with the other supportingmember 13. Thislatter supporting member is constructed the same as the one firstdescribed and it will be lettered the same except with prime numbers.

The other shell member 4 consists of a curved wall 22 from which extendslaterally a cylindrical wall 23 and the latter is adapted to slidinglyfit into the cylindrical wall 12 of the socket member 3 so that whenboth socket members are in assembled position they form a chamber 24 inwhich the switch mechanism is adapted to be enclosed and protected.

The socket member 4 has a finger or lip stamped from the cylindricalwall 23 and, as shown in Figure 8, this consists of an upwardly oroutwardly extending member 25 which is bent and then extendshorizontally at 26 and is provided with a slot 27 to receive theprojection 20 on the socket member 3. This finger or engaging memher isduplicated on the opposite side of the socket member 4 and it is adaptedto engage the member 20 on the socket member 3. I

have shown a cupped disc 29 of insulating material inserted in thesocket member 3 to serve as a lining to insulate the switch mechanismfrom the socket or casing, and I have shown a corresponding cupped disc30 of insulating material, disposed in the memher 4 which also serves toinsulate the switching mechanism from the socket. The member 3 is shownprovided with an aperture 46 through which outwardly and downwardlyextends a throat 31 through which the actuating member or chain 2 of theswitch is adapted to extend and in which it is adapted to slide in andout as the chain is operated to turn the switch on or oil.

In Figure 1 I have shown the device arranged between two sections of achain for supporting a lamp or chandelier so that the switch takes theplace of several links in the chain, although it will be understood thatthe device may be attached in any other manner. The wire 8 isintertwined with the links of the chain and it is passed through thesleeve 7 and the wire is connected with one of the terminals of theswitch. In like manner the wire 33 is intertwined with the links of theportion of the chain below the switch device and it is carried throughthe sleeve 10 andthis Wire is attached to the other terminal of theswitch device.

The switch mechanism, which is generally supplied as an assembled unit,is insertedinto the socket member 3, a portion projecting laterally fromthis member, and then the socket member 4 is placed over the projectingportion of the switch mechanism with the cylindrical portion 23 fittingwithin the cylindrical portion 12; and as the two socket members arepressed together the fingers 26 will be forced over the tops of theprojections 20 until the slots 27 register with these projections,whereupon the fingers will snap down into the position shown in Figure6. The projections 20 passing through the slots 27 will serve as locksto hold the two socket members firmly together. It jwill be understoodthat when the switch mechanism was inserted into the member 3 and beforethe member 4 was applied thereto, the wires 8, 33 were carried throughthe sleeves 7, 10 and were attached to the terminals of the switchmechanism and that the operating member or chain 2 was led out throughthe throat 31.

The socket members having been assembled in the manner desoribed,'theswitch in its socket becomes an assembled unit and it may be sold,transportecL-or handled in this condition. In order to attach it to thechain in the manner shown in Figure 1, two

'ofthe links 16 of the chain are slightly opened to pass them over theends of the supporting members 13, 13 into line with the openings 15, 15and then the ends of the links are pressed together to close them aroundthe supporting members, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The switch beingassembled in this manner is adapted to be operated by the member 2 forturning on and off the current supplied through the wires 8, 33. Theswitch is separated from the lighting device and if any difficultyoccurs in the switch it may be removed from the circuit and a new onemaybe assembled in its place. 7

To remove the switch and its socket as a Whole from the chain the links16 may be opened sufficiently to disengage them from the supportingmembers 13, 13. In most cases, however, it will be necessary only todetach the socket member 4: from the member 3, by releasing one of thefingers 26 from the projection 20, whereupon the socket member 4: may bedetached from the member 3. This leaves the latter member stillsupported by the chain and serving as a connecting link between the twosections of the chain. The switch mechanism may be removed, repaired orreplaced without detaching the socket member 3 from the chain, ifdesired.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: p

l. A switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link, including aswitch mechanlsm and means for encloslng the same,

comprising a shell member having oppositely extending yokes projectingtherefrom to be engaged by chain links or other supporting members, saidshell member having openings adjacent said yokes for the passage of feedwires in the switch mechanism,

and a second shell member co-operating with said first shell member toenclose the switch mechanism, and means for detachably securing saidsecond shell member to said first shell member to permit the shell to beopened while said first shell member remains supported as a link.

2. A switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link, including aswitch mechanism and means for enclosing the same, comprisingco-operating shell members forming an enclosure for the switchmechanism, means for detachably securing said shell members together oneof said shell members having oppositely extending yokes. projectingtherefrom and adapted to receive therethrough chain links or othersupporting members, said yokes having laterally extending flangesadjacent the ends of the openings in said yokes.

3. A switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link, including aswitch mechanism and means for enclosing the same, comprisingco-operating shell forming an enclosure for the switch mechanism, meansfor detachably securing said shell members together said shell membershaving (so-operating cylindrical portionsmembers slidingbne the "other,one I of said shell members having "yokes projecting it'lierefromf and;adapted .ito receive thereithrough link s'for' other supporting members?bers' iforming an enclosure "for the switch mechanism, one "of. saidshell members having -'opposite'lyextending yokes proj ecting therefrom:and adapted-Ito receive therethe shell maybe opened wliile .said firstshe'll member remains suspended as a link, comprising projections on oneof sai-dshell members, and resilient fingers on the other shellmember"cooperating. with said projections 'tojsecure the shell memberstogethervby asnap action. 1

'5. A hain-switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link,including a switch mechanism, and means for enclosing the same,comprising cooperating, separable shell members forming an enclosure forthe switch mechanism, one of said shell members having oppositelyextending loop members projecting therefrom to serve as chain links andadaptedto receive'therethrough chain links or similar supportingmembers, said shellhaving appertures to receive wires therethrough,andmeans for detachably securing said shell members together.

6. A chain switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link,including a switch mechanism, and a shell for enclosing the same, saidshell including cooperating, septhrough chain links or other supportingI inembers, j and means gforfdetachably securing said shell memberstogether whereby for the switch mechanism, one of said shell membershaving yokes extending in opposite directions in the same vertical planeto serve as chain links adapted to receive therethrough chain links orsimilar supporting members and means for detachablysecuring the othershell member to the shell member having the yokes, said lastmentioned-shell member and its yokes being adapted to be supported as alink regardless of whether said. second shell member is attached ordetached, said a shell having apertures to receive wires therethrough topermit the switch to be wired after it has been supported as a link.

7 A chain switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link,including a switch mechanism, and a shell forenclosing the same, saidshell including cooperating, sepserve as chain links adapted to receivetherethrough chain links or similar supporting members, said first shellmember being adapted to be supported through said 100 members regardlessof whether the secon shell member is present 'or removed, said shellhaving apertures to receive wires therethrough, said switch mechanismbeing adapted to be wired after the shell has been assembled as a link.

8. A chain switch adapted to be supported in the form of a link,including a switch mechanism, and a shell for enclosing the same, saidshell including cooperating, separable shell members having means fordetachably connecting them together, one of said shell members. havingloop members extending in opposite directions and provided with lateralflanges, said loop members being adapted to receive chain linksorsimilar supporting members therethrough.

Signed at the city of New York, county of Bronx, and State of New York,this 2nd day of July, 1928.

CHAS. M. LEFKOWITZ.

